Niners in need of a No. 2 wideout

The 49ers entered the 2012 season with five No. 1 receivers. They ended the campaign with only one.

So now, as Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle explains it, the Niners need a No. 2 wideout to complement Michael Crabtree.

In quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s 10 starts this season, Crabtree was targeted 94 times. That’s 55 times more than any other player.

Mario Manningham, a hero for the Giants in Super Bowl XLVI, is recovering from a torn ACL, as is Kyle Williams. Ted Ginn and A.J. Jenkins were ineffective in 2012, and Randy Moss was used extensively down the stretch but his glory days have, well, passed him by.

Jenkins, a first-round pick in 2012, could be the focal point of the team’s offseason efforts. But other option will be needed, and the Niners would be wise to wait for the free-agent market to soften before going bargain shopping.

Or maybe they’ll “evaluate” a field-stretching option like Mike Wallace. If the Niners unload Alex Smith, they’ll have the cap space to make a run at Wallace.

The only problem is that, if Wallace gets paid, Crabtree will start carping about getting a new contract.

So the smart move is to wait until late March, and then to offer up short-term deals to veterans who have slipped through the cracks.

Are they definitely getting rid of Alex Smith? He’s due $7.5 million and Kapernick due ~$700,000. Plenty of teams have a starting qb with a salary over $9 million. With a team so close to a Super Bowl, it seems foolish to get rid of Smith with the way Kapernick runs. If he gets a RG3 type injury they are toast without Smith.

Thought I read somewhere that Moss was informed that he wasn’t going to be a focal point of the offense when he signed and as it turns out one could say he was way more valuable as a mentor/coach to anyone around him from the WR/TEs to the DBs than he was on the field.

That being said, considering that he’s the self-proclaimed “greatest receiver of all time”, there’s no way he’ll settle for that role again on the cheap. I don’t see him being next years’ #2 any more than Manningham, Ginn or Williams. Williams is a china doll, Ginn has hands of stone and, well, didn’t see enough of M’ham before he got hurt too. So, yeah…they do need that guy…

Wallace will become a Viking. The Wilf’s will pony up with the new stadium coming very soon. He’ll stretch the field with Harvin, Rudolf, and a 2nd round pick they’ll use on a receiver in this draft. When he visits Minnesota, he won’t be leaving!

Jenkins is a complete bust. So bad were his “contributions” that he was actually replaced by Chad Hall of the practice squad for the NFCCG. Unless Jenkins drinks some kind of magic potion that turns him into even a respectable WR he will be cut due to total ineptitude.

If Ponder is the qb he wont be stretching the field. Sign Vick! Read option and man hes got an arm. What an offense that would be. Percy would probably stay. Can Vick stay healthy that is the question. Option left to Kahlil’s side, Sullivan pro bowl center. Then Wallace to stretch the field. Vick, AP, Harvin, Rudolph, Wallace! Do it Ziggy Do it!

Completely different subject but the NFL is setting a dangerous precedent with the current home/away release of the 2013 season, I emailed you about it. Seattle should be hosting the Texans, not the other way around. No one in sports media is willing to provide an answer.

So, why won’t Manningham and Williams be ready for next year? Vernon should be the focal point. Crab, Manningham, Ginn, Williams aren’t terrible. Jenkins is a wild card. If he sucks, they need to get someone, but they probably shouldn’t pay Wallace, they’re gonna have to pay Crab soon.

rmosss says:
Feb 8, 2013 11:46 PM
Wallace will become a Viking. The Wilf’s will pony up with the new stadium coming very soon. He’ll stretch the field with Harvin, Rudolf, and a 2nd round pick they’ll use on a receiver in this draft. When he visits Minnesota, he won’t be leaving!
—————–

Yea, he won’t be leaving because the roof will collapse on him and probably kill the poor guy. This whole team is adrian peterson, and unless AP can keep rushing for 2000 yards a season, you’ll be back in last place sooner rather then later. SKOL

Jerry Rice was still a number 1 receiver at Moss’s age. Moss can’t even make the roster anymore. Too funny how this clown really thinks he is better than Rice. As a matter of face, Randy Moss is 35 years old and done in the league. Rice dominated into his 40’s.

Rice’s All Pro stats when he was 40:
92 catched for 1,211 yards and 7 touchdowns.

Crabtree is not a one. Who are they trying to kid. He never will be a one. He is a solid 2 very comparable to Titus young and a Brian hartline. The miners need a slot guy and a speed guy and they will be unbeatable. Their weakness by far was the receiving corp. well not that they would really take advantage of a receiving corp if they had one……..

Colin Kaepernik made great strides in the passing department last year, but I noticed he rarely makes more than one or two reads in his progressions from the pocket before scrambling out of pressure. That is why Crabtree and Vernon Davis ended up with the most catches. They were looking for a quality wide last off season and no doubt still would like another. Personally I would look to address this by looking for a sleeper in the draft, rather than veterans who trend toward Prima Donna’s like Moss. That would be right after drafting Justin Smith’s replacement in the first round.

We will definitely trade Alex Smith. CK7’s backup will be Scott Tolzine, aka Baby Breeze and that was 2 years before school of Jim Harbaugh. We have 14 draft picks too, so we can fill many needs with FAs and trades. This is just the beginning of 10 years of 49ers success, get use to us being contenders!

First off, they have two viable number 2s in Manningham and Jenkins. Both should be healthy next year. Also, Moss was open frequently but being the young QB he is, Kaepernick probably cannot go through his progressions all the way to 3rd or 4th option as evidenced by his throwing to Crabtree so much. So based on Kaepernick’s maturity as a QB does he really need a #2 WR seeing as that guy would in reality be the number 4 option after 1. crabtree 2. davis 3. RB out of backfield 4. #2 WR? And they just drafted Jenkins, a project who they knew would take time to develop. Well, he’ll be entering year two and I am sure be prepared to catch the 25-30 passes that will go his way.

They could go for the young-and-expensive Wallace. OR they can seek out a veteran presence such as Greg Jennings. That’s the kind of always-open, reliable hands player that a young QB like Kaepernick needs.

Just keep Moss and USE HIM!!! Not as a decoy, but actually throw the ball to him. He’s running fine, caught everything his way this year, and was open numerous times in the SB but wasn’t targeted. Jim’s a great coach, but he waaaay underutilized him this year. All the guys on the team like him and learned from him. To me it’s a no brainer. All the complaining about a ball 10 feet over his head is silly when he was WIDE OPEN!

Mike Francesa says Welker wants out of New England and SanFran will take a run at him. We’ll see. I’ll admit he would be the perfect piece to that offense. Crabtree roaming the mid and deep patterns, V Davis doing his thing…plus Gore and Kaepernick’s running skill keeping Defenses out of nickel. Wes Welker would have a lot of room to maneuver. Also, can you think of a better security blanket for a young team. A match made in heavan?

A.J. Jenkins appears to be a miss on a draft choice. Manningham looked much better than expected when he was playing. It would be nice to have another proven excellent receiver but use the guys coming back plus draft another one. Use money for defense and some depth at offensive line. Let Moss go. Let Smith go. Let Akers go.

Yes Mike because going after veterans worked so well for them this year, i.e Brandon Jacobs (cut), Mario Manningham (torn ACL), Moss (sucked in regular season and was a non factor in the SB). Yeah maybe they ought not try that again

Every WR the vikings have signed since michael jenkins was going to be an unstoppable force according to their fans. The next randy moss in their eyes. Even randy moss was going to be the next randy moss…. And even CFL has beens were going to be it. The vikings have had about 12 number 1 wr’s since 2010……..

I started to have my doubts of AJ Jenkins during mini camp sessions and training camp and expressed them on PFT, but a few weeks ago I found out which was Jenkins’ highest draft all star game appearance,

the East West Shrine Game.

That’s for low level guys and no one should use first rounders on them!!! Look at Joey Harrington. No Senior Bowl. He was an East West Game invite only.

If I were Baalke I would get a free agent WR or wait till Round 2 or 3 to get one. TY Hilton is an example of why WR’s can be taken later.

Mike Wallace= ego too big, price tag way too high, had a bit of a down year

Percy Harvin= great all around threat. WR skills are there, running the end around is there, return game is there (esp if Ginn goes bye bye), but would the Vikings let him go/can he stay healthy?

Greg Jennings= great pass catcher/route runner, great teammate. However, has had drop issues before, coming off a few injuries, getting “up there” in age.

Wes Welker= great possesion receiver with the ability to break off the big ones, great possesion reciever and route runner. Similar to Harvin in the ability to run reverses and punts, but again, will NE let him go, and at what price, and also getting up there in age

Anquan Boldin=great possesion receiver, great teammate but has already said he wants to retire as a Raven, and likely will do so if they let him go

I’d say let Moss and Ginn venture elsewhere, and go after Welker or Harvin if they can be had at a reasonable price. Otherwise, I think Jennings could be a good fit.

When you said that Crabtree will complain if they sign Wallace isn’t that the ultimate example of belaboring the obvious? My 2 year old nephew could of figured that out. Plus don’t all players want more money when there contracts are up and the team signs a new player for more $$? Jesus have a more original thought than what the average idiot can come up with.

@rmoss
“He won’t be leaving”? Lol that’s the best one yet..lets see, the guys choice is an up an coming team that just barely lost the Superbowl,a brand new stadium,a young exciting QB,a beautiful city like San Fran, but wait,once he sees the snow,cold,dumpy dome,and ..lol down the field QB the Dikes have..he won t be leaving? Hahahahahahahahahlololololo..thanks for the laugh buddy, that made my day..Delusional party of 1!

I think this year will start the years where a FA might be inclined to ask for less to go with the 49ers seeing how close they were to winning it all. That Free Agent could be convinced he is a piece needed to get over the hump and thus sign for less.

Not all Free Agents mind you but the days of the team overpaying to get someone are long gone. But even with that some guys like their straight cash. I’d love for them to get Greg Jennings though. Another vet with SB winning experience is not a bad thing.

As for AJ Jenkins anyone else remember the time when it was expected for Rookie WRs to struggle? Just because QBs are starting to play well out the gate doesn’t mean every rookie is going to be good right away.

But if he struggles this year after the humbling he got this year his stay in San Francisco will probably be pretty short.